LONDON - England's floundering Ashes prospects were struck a body blow today when Graham Thorpe was ruled out of the third cricket Test just days after returning from a six-week injury lay-off.

The Surrey left-hander, regarded by Australia as England's top batsman, fractured a bone in his right hand while batting in the second Test at Lord's on Saturday.

An x-ray on Sunday failed to diagnose the problem after Thorpe was hit by a Brett Lee delivery.

But a specialist today confirmed that Thorpe had an undisplaced fracture in the metacarpal bone of his right hand.

Thorpe was rushed back into the England side at Lord's because of an injury crisis, not even managing a warm-up game with his county.

He scored 20 and two as England were humiliated again to go 2-0 down in the five-match series against the world's top-ranked side.

The injury means that England could go into the third Test at Trent Bridge, Nottingham, without three of their top batsmen.

Captain Nasser Hussain, who has suffered two fractures of the hand this season already, has not played again.

England have yet to decide whether to give him the go-ahead to play in a comeback match for his county Essex starting on Friday.

No.3 batsman Michael Vaughan, meanwhile, looks set to miss his third Test in a row following surgery on a knee cartilage.

Pace bowler Matthew Hoggard also missed the second Test with a foot injury.

Australia beat England by eight wickets at Lord's, giving them 18 wins in their last 20 Tests.

They won the first Test by an innings and 118 runs. Both games could have finished within three days if they had not been interrupted by rain.

© 2001 AAP